St Johnstone go into Saturday’s Tayside derby with Dundee United still searching for their first league win of the season, but their manager thinks change is in the air.
Steve Lomas says he is confident that if his side replicate the same level of performance they displayed in their last two games, then their luck and results are bound to improve.
He said: ”It’s a derby and one we are looking forward to. We feel we owe our fans a performance after the disappointment of the Aberdeen match.
”We have been looking back over the DVDs of the first four league games with the lads and I am more than happy with displays against Hibs and Motherwell.
”We did more than enough to win both games, although I’m still wondering how we lost last weekend at Easter Road.
”I’m a great believer that if you put in a performance the result generally takes care of itself, but that hasn’t happened in our last two games.
”I wasn’t happy with the Aberdeen match, although we were missing players and then lost Chris Millar and Murray Davidson by half-time.
”Make no mistake, that performance did hurt us but now we have a chance to turn it around in front of our own fans. We feel we owe them.”Changes for UnitedUnited are also looking to bounce back after a disappointing 3-1 defeat at Kilmarnock, and will have to do so without Gary Mackay-Steven, who is now recuperating after undergoing clean-up knee surgery on Tuesday.
Manager Peter Houston said: “With Gary unavailable, there will be a chance for one of Michael Gardyne, Ryan Dow or Stuart Armstrong, who are good players who have had to wait to get into the team.”
United’s players are desperate to put in a good performance to make up for the defensive shambles against Killie.
Houston has seen the team bounce back again and again after disappointments and is expecting them to do so in Perth.
“We have had a good week and we have shown them on video where they went wrong against Killie,” he said.
“Knowing the players and their attitude and desire, I am convinced we will get a good reaction.
“We are playing against a good side in St Johnstone and they will be hurting after losing to Hibs. We had someone watching them and I heard they should have won.
“Steve Lomas has brought in a few players and it will take him a wee bit of time to gel together.
“They have had to change their style and Steve is trying to find the right balance and best way to play, just as we were last year.
“We are looking forward to it while also expecting a really tough game.”